Sustainability & Business

Businesses have a profound effect on sustainability. Businesses are permitted to externalize many of the costs associated with producing, using, and disposing of their products, which means that the cost and damage is shared by everyone.

For example: Coal sells as a commodity at about $50/ton. Experts estimate that the extraction and burning of coal creates additional costs to society of over $200/ton.Coal and energy companies profit from the low price, while everyone else bears the costs, primarily in the form of environmental degradation, global warming, and impaired health.

Resources to complete a Sustainability Impact Assessment [In development – if you have questions now send an email to Peter Crownfield, coordinator for the sustainability impact assessment project.] DRAFT This list is provided as a starting point for others doing a … more →

The recommendations take a holistic view to mitigate the challenges associated with the Da Vinci Science City and explore opportunities. Each recommendation indicates which of the five impact areas (climate, community, local economy, health, and environment). All recommendations are directed to the … more →

by Rich Fegley It is estimated that the average American meal travels about 1500 miles to get from farm to plate. If our food is grown that far from where we live, it is safe to assume that a fair … more →

by Brianna Marmol The other day I heard a friend’s grandmother lamenting about the pressure to go “green”. She said that while recycling is important, she can’t buy a recycling bin because “I’m old and can’t be bothered. There’s too … more →

by Bruce Wilson Imagine a world where there is a climate crisis and most people, feeling helpless about the vastness of the problem, ignore the easiest changes that can make the quickest impact while providing a good return on investment. … more →

One of the surprises we found in our research, is that a natural turf is often much less costly than synthetic turf (also known as artificial turf), even with fairly heavy use. The cost for each field depends, of course, on … more →

Use the comments feature on this page to add your thoughts on Envision LV’s draft report on economic development in the Lehigh Valley—whether it’s a response to what they included or something you think needs to be added. Read the … more →

Use the comments feature on this page to add your thoughts on Envision LV’s draft report on the plan for Allentown—whether it’s a response to what they included or something you think needs to be added. If you haven’t yet … more →

Important Notice - Information on this website does not necessarily represent the position of the Alliance or the views of its members. As part of our effort to promote open discussion and dialogue, we frequently post material that is of current concern, especially on subjects that are not covered in the mainstream media or if that coverage is incomplete or one-sided.